| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
62.92 miles
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Altitude Gain:
3,461 ft
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Avg Speed:
18.98 mph
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Route:
Ride for Refuge
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Rolling
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 81 F SE wind @ 11 mph |
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Stayed in Erie last night so we could ride a metric century starting on Lake Erie at Harbor Creek. Price was inexpensive as a twenty gets a T-shirt, sag, water stops and picnic lunch. Weather was warm at the start but it was very windy with a steady eleven mile an hour wind blowing out of the southeast. Had seen a course profile on Map My Ride of last year's route and had anticipated a fairly flat fast ride. After picking up this year's map at registration had to change the outlook as the course didn't run along the coastal plain but headed inland to the hilly part of Chautauqua County where the early versions of the Lake County Century had left memories of steep climbs and sore legs twenty-five years ago. Had two hundred and sixty five riders assembled for the days rides that ranged from ten to sixty-two miles. A large number of riders appeared to be family groups and Junior Woodchuck troopers. Helped a few of the locals adjust rubbing brakes and inflated a few tires before the ride. Having rode myself empty at yesterday's race I planned on doing some drafting and spinning on today's jaunt. Plan didn't last long as a rider went off the front out of the gate and IronDoug headed off in pursuit. Another rider bridged up and I waited for the peloton to react but they were just dwadling along so ended up doing some work to catch up. The original flyer fell off the pace before I caught uo so it ended up with just three of up riding togther into the wind on a very slight upgrade. I sat in as much as I could as the legs didn't have much in them. Doug was taking pulls at 23+, the second rider took his at 21-22 and when I did pull could only hold 20-21 mph so didn't think I'd be hanging on for long. Rotation broke up after eight miles as the second rider dropped off the back. My legs were also not putting out and we had started to climb up to the plateau and told IronDoug I was all in and was dropping off to ride with the other guy since I couldn't hold the pace in the wind. He tried to encourage me by saying we would be turning out of the wind soon, but unfortunately I was more aware of the course and we would soon be turning out of the brutal crosswind into twenty miles of headwind, so I bid him a good day. Started to grind out the five percent grade at a more relaxed pace and waited for the dropped rider to catch up. He not only caught up but passed and dropped me as when I tried to get back up to speed there were no reserves in the legs. Didn't get blown away though and caught up and a slight downgrade. Rode the next fifteen miles in a section that the locals call the 'roller coaster of pain.' We sprinted the seemingly endless series of short steep rollers all the time pushing into the wind. Actually started to enjoy the sprints and it helped that I was taking two out of three. Unfortunately though the fun riding didn't help the average speed as we pretty much just coasted down the backsides and chatted on what few flat sections we found. Finally turned out of the wind at mile twenty-seven which was very relieving but spirits were dampened as we found some more climbing awaiting us. Finally crested a hill over Findley Lake and thought we must be nearing the highpoint as there was a large radio tower and a view of a ski resort across the valley below us. We descended to Findley Lake and caught a strong tailwind on the highway passing through town. Average speed had dropped down to 17.5 through the wind and hills so lost hope of riding it at twenty as only had twenty-five miles to go. Lost my co-rider on a long grade as after taking a long pull pulled aside to draft for awhile and found the other rider was way down the slope. Started the long downhill off the plateau and was hitting speeds near forty aided by the tailwind. After a few glorious miles found myself back on route five with fifty miles in and an average of nineteen three. Had visions of getting the average back up to twenty if the rest of the course was on the flats with a following crosswind. Vision quickly faded though as the legs still didn't have much in them and the course turned back up a climb into the wind. Speed dropped as the course weaved around, in and out of a couple of small towns. Started to pick up some riders from the shorter routes and kept a good pace though the snap was gone. Got to sixty miles and could smell the lake and was going to pick up the pace for a strong finish when a bee flew into my helmet and stung me on the head. Not sure what is is we stings lately, but while they used to hurt a little I now find my body reacts by producing major pain. Got the helmet off and tried to remove the venom sac but wasn't sure if I got it out or not. Finished off the ride with a very painful swelling head. Ended up with a nineteen average finishing in 3:18. IronDoug had ridden the course in 3:04 for a 20.5 average. Well marked, challenging course that was fun to ride though I could have done without the wind and the bee sting.
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